Food catching apron for chairs



F 1952 e. H. CAPONERA FOOD CATCHING APRON FOR CHAIRS Filed June 12, 1950 George vH. capone ra IN V EN TOR.

Patented Feb. 12, 1952 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE FOOD CATCHING APRON FOR CHAIRS George H. Caponera, Harrison, N. Y.

Application June 12, 1950, Serial No. 167,624

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to an apron or receiver adapted for attachment to a high chair in surrounding relation to the lower portions of its legs at the front and sides of said chair for catching food spilled or scattered by a child occupying the chair and preventing such food from falling on and soiling the floor or floor covering.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient device of the above kind which may be folded and stored in a small space when not in use, and which may be readily applied to and removed from the chair.

Another object is to provide a device of the above kind which will efiectively retain liquids spilled thereon.

The invention consists in the novel features and details of construction shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device applied to a high chair;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device, drawn on a reduced scale.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the present invention embodies a foldable apron or receiver 5 of substantially U-shape in plan and of a size to closely surround the lower portions of the legs 6 of a childs high chair across the front and along the sides of the latter, and means, such as tie strings 1, attached to the inner edge of the apron or receiver at the ends of the latter and adapted to embrace the rear legs of the chair to secure the apron or receiver in place.

The apron or receiver is made of suitable flexible waterproof sheet material and includes a U- shaped bottom strip 8 having an upstanding rim 9 stitched at H], or otherwise secured to and extended along the outer edge thereof so as to form a liquid tight joint. The rim 9 preferably consists of a folded strip of material having a folded reinforcing strip ll secured between the folds thereof, so that the rim has four plies and is sufliciently self-sustaining to assume an upright position in use. A length of elastic webbing I2 is sewed to the underside and along the inner edge of the bottom strip 8 while. in stretched condition, whereby the inner edge portion of said strip 8 is normally contracted and provided with gathers as at [3.

When the device is applied to the chair, the elastic webbing l2 vis stretched and secured in stretched condition by the tie strings I, so that the bottom strip 8 is kept straight and tightly against the front legs of the chair. Thus,

the inner edge portion of the bottom strip 8 will be held in an elevated position above the floor as shown in Figure 2, and the downturned seam l4 between the strip 8 and rim 9 will rest on the floor, thereby forming a trough to retain liquid and solid food particles spilled onto the apron or receiver.

From the foregoing description, the construction, manner of use and advantages of the invention will be apparent. Modifications are contemplated within the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A food catching apron for chairs comprising a foldable flexible receiver of substantially U-s'hape in plan and of a size to closely surround the lower portions of the legs of the chair across the front and along the sides of the latter, and strings attached to the inner edge of the receiver at its ends and engageable with the rear legs of the chair to secure the receiver in operative relation to the chair, said receiver being composed of waterproof sheet material and including a bottom strip of U-shape, and a self-sustaining upstanding rim secured to and extending along the complete outer edge of said bottom strip, said bottom strip and rim being joined together and forming a seam below the sheet material main body to constitute a floor contacting element, and a length of elastic webbing secured to the inner edge portion of said bottom strip and normally providing said inner edge portions with gathers so that the webbing may be stretched when the ends of the receiver are attached to the rear chair legs to hold the inner edge of said bottom strip elevated by contact thereof with the front chair legs and the attachment of the ends of the same to the rear legs.

GEORGE H. CAPONERA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 837,570 Jackson et al. Dec. 4, 1906 939,841 Jackson et a1. Nov. 9, 1909 1,050,205 Conley Jan. 14, 1913 1,377,860 Thomas May 10, 1921 2,281,832 Cravotta May 5, 1942 2,540,685 Mayer Feb. 6. 1951 

